The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 14 member teams located in Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger. The USHL is strictly amateur, allowing former USHL players to compete in NCAA college hockey. The Sioux Falls Stampede won the 2006-07 USHL championship in an expanded, 12-team playoff format. The league reverted to an 8-team divisional playoff format for the 2007-08 season. The Indiana Ice won the 2008-09 Clark Cup championship, defeating the Fargo Force 3 games to 1 in the finals. The Ice defeated the Anderson Cup champion Green Bay Gamblers in the semi-finals. [edit] History The league was established in 1947 as the Minnesota-based American Amateur Hockey League with teams in Minneapolis, Rochester and St. Paul.[1] Since its debut, the league has progressed and changed its name several times. In 1952, it became the Minnesota Hockey League, and in 1956 the name was changed to the Central Hockey League. In 1961, it adopted its present identity-the United States Hockey League.[2] The USHL was a semi-professional league until 1979. The USHL welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969-70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.[3] By the late 1970s, the USHL had fallen on hard times. In the summer of 1977, clubs from the recently folded Midwest Junior Hockey League contacted the USHL. A unique merger was formed, with the three junior teams (Bloomington Junior Stars, Austin Mavericks, St. Paul Vulcans) and three remaining pro teams (Sioux City Musketeers, Waterloo Black Hawks, Green Bay Bobcats) gathered under the USHL banner. League governors decided on a two-division format, with the junior-aged teams in the Midwest Division and the professionals in the U.S. Division. The teams played an interlocking schedule that was, predictably, dominated by the professionals. The USHL's split existence would last just two seasons. The minor-pro wing of the league folded following the 1978-79 season, providing junior hockey operators with the opportunity to redefine the circuit. The 1979-80 season was the league's first as an entirely junior arrangement.[4] [edit] Current teams | East Division | | Team | Founded | City | | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders | 1999-00 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | | Chicago Steel | 2000-01 | Bensenville, Illinois | | Green Bay Gamblers | 1994-95 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | | Indiana Ice | 2004-05 | Indianapolis, Indiana | | Team USA | 2009-10 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | | Waterloo Black Hawks | 1962-63 | Waterloo, Iowa | | Youngstown Phantoms | 2009-10 | Youngstown, Ohio | | West Division | | Team | Founded | City | | Des Moines Buccaneers | 1980-81 | Urbandale, Iowa | | Fargo Force | 2008-09 | Fargo, North Dakota | | Lincoln Stars | 1996-97 | Lincoln, Nebraska | | Omaha Lancers | 1986-87 | Omaha, Nebraska | | Sioux City Musketeers | 1972-73 | Sioux City, Iowa | | Sioux Falls Stampede | 1999-00 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | | Tri-City Storm | 2000-01 | Kearney, Nebraska | [edit] Defunct Junior Teams | Team | City | Years | | Austin Mavericks | Austin, Minnesota | 1977-1985 | | Danville Wings | Danville, Illinois | 2003-2004 | | Dubuque Fighting Saints | Dubuque, Iowa | 1980-2001 | | Fargo-Moorhead Bears | Fargo, North Dakota | 1995-1996 | | Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks | Fargo, North Dakota | 1996-2000 | | Green Bay Bobcats | Green Bay, Wisconsin | 1958-1981 | | Hennepin Nordiques | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 1979-1980 | | Minneapolis Stars | Minneapolis/Bloomington, Minnesota | 1977-1985 | | North Iowa Huskies | Mason City, Iowa | 1983-1999 | | Ohio Junior Blue Jackets | Columbus, Ohio | 2006-2008 | | Rochester Mustangs | Rochester, Minnesota | 1985-2002 | | St. Louis Heartland Eagles | Chesterfield, Missouri | 2003-2004 | | St. Paul/Twin Cites Vulcans | St. Paul/Bloomington, Minnesota | 1979-2000 | | Thunder Bay Flyers | Thunder Bay, Ontario | 1984-2000 | | Topeka ScareCrows | Topeka, Kansas | 2001-2003 | | Tulsa Crude | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 2001-2002 | | Madison/Wisconsin Capitols | Madison, Wisconsin | 1984-1995 | [edit] Defunct Semi-Pro Teams | Team | City | Years | | Central Wisconsin Flyers | Stevens Point, Wisconsin | 1974-1976 | | Chicago Warriors | Chicago, Illinois | 1972-1975 | | Copper-Country Chiefs | Calumet, Michigan | 1972-1976 | | Des Moines Oak Leafs | Urbandale, Iowa | 1961-1963 (transferred to IHL) | | Fox Valley Astros | Dundee, Illinois[5] | 1965-1966 | | Grand-Rapids Blades | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 1976-1977 | | Grand-Rapids Bruins | Grand Rapids, Minnesota | 1968-1969 | | Madison Blues | Madison, Wisconsin | 1973-1974 (transferred to CHL) | | Marquette Iron Rangers | Marquette, Michigan | 1964-1976 | | Milwaukee Admirals | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1973-1977 (transferred to IHL) | | Milwaukee Metros | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1961-1962 | | Minneapolis Rebels | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 1961-1962 | | Minnesota Nationals | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 1967-1968 (U.S. 1968 Olympic team[6]) | | Rochester Mustangs | Rochester, Minnesota | 1947-1970 | | Thunder Bay Twins | Thunder Bay, Ontario | 1970-1975 (transferred to OHA) | | Traverse City Bays | Traverse City, Michigan | 1975-1977 | | Saint Paul Steers | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 1962-1966 | | Sault Ste. Marie Canadians | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario | 1968-1973 | [edit] Timeline of teams - 1979-80 The USHL becomes an all-junior league with seven teams in two divisions. North Division: Hennepin Nordiques, Bloomington Jr. Stars, Green Bay Bobcats, and St. Paul Vulcans. South Division: Austin Mavericks, Sioux City Musketeers, and Waterloo Black Hawks.
- 1980-81 Des Moines Buccaneers enter the league. Waterloo Black Hawks move to Dubuque and become the Fighting Saints. Hennepin Nordiques move to Waterloo and become the Black Hawks. North Division: Austin, Bloomington, Green Bay, and St. Paul. South Division: Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City, and Waterloo.
- 1981-82 Green Bay folds. The remaining seven teams merge into one division.
- 1983-84 North Iowa Huskies enter league.
- 1984-85 Madison Capitols and Thunder Bay Flyers enter league. Bloomington changes name to Minneapolis Stars.
- 1985-86 Minneapolis folds. Austin relocates to Rochester and renamed Mustangs.
- 1986-87 Omaha Lancers enter league.
- 1991-92 Madison changes name to Wisconsin Capitols.
- 1994-95 Green Bay Gamblers enter league.
- 1995-96 Wisconsin folds. Fargo-Moorhead Bears enter league. St. Paul changes name to Twin Cities Vulcans.
- 1996-97 Fargo-Moorhead Bears disband. Fargo-Moorhead Ice Sharks enter league. Lincoln Stars enter league. League returns to divisional play. North Division: Fargo-Moorhead, Green Bay, North Iowa, Rochester, Thunder Bay, Twin Cities. South Division: Des Moines, Dubuque, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Waterloo.
- 1997-98 USA Hockey National Team Development Program plays 24-game schedule in the USHL.
- 1998-99 USHL agrees to play full-season schedule with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program as part of a two-year agreement. League moves to three-division format. East Division: Dubuque, Green Bay, Team USA, and Waterloo. Central Division: Des Moines, North Iowa, Rochester, Thunder Bay, and Twin Cities. West Division: Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln, Omaha, and Sioux City.
- 1999-00 Sioux Falls Stampede enters league. North Iowa relocates to Cedar Rapids and renamed the RoughRiders. League moves to two-division format. West Division: Des Moines, Fargo-Moorhead, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, Twin Cities. East Division: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Green Bay, Rochester, Thunder Bay, USA Development, Waterloo.
- 2000-01 Thunder Bay ceases operations. Fargo-Moorhead moves to Bensenville, IL and becomes the Chicago Steel. Twin Cities relocates to Kearney, NE and is renamed the Tri-City Storm. Team USA plays 34-game league schedule.
- 2001-02 Dubuque Fighting Saints relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma and become the Tulsa Crude. Topeka, KS gains an expansion team called the Topeka ScareCrows.
- 2002-03 Rochester ceases operations. Tulsa ceases operations. Omaha relocates to Council Bluffs, Ia., and changes its name to the River City Lancers.
- 2003-04 Danville Wings enter the league. Topeka moves to St. Louis and becomes the Heartland Eagles.
- 2004-05 Danville moves to Indianapolis and becomes the Indiana Ice. St. Louis granted one-year suspension of operations.
- 2005-06 River City Lancers change name back to Omaha Lancers.
- 2006-07 Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets join the league after purchasing the membership of the former Thunder Bay Flyers.
- 2007-08 Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets cease operations at the conclusion of the season.
- 2008-09 Fargo Force will begin operations.
- 2009-10 United States National Development Team (Team USA) will re-join league as fully competitive member. Youngstown Phantoms expansion team added.
- 2010-11 Dubuque Thunderbirds move into USHL from CSHL
[edit] Awards | | | [edit] 1961-1979 Season Champions (Semi-Pro) | [edit] Alumni - Selections in the top three rounds of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft
- Selections in the top three rounds of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
[edit] League records - Most points in a season – 97 by Des Moines Buccaneers in 1998–99 season.
- Most wins in a season – 48 by Des Moines Buccaneers in 1998–99 season.
- Most losses in a season – 48 by Omaha Lancers in 1986–87 season.
- Longest winning streak - 19 by Des Moines Buccaneers between November 1, 1998 and January 6, 1999.
[edit] Individual - Most points in a season - 135 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
- Most goals in a season – 67 by Rod Taylor of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
- Most assists in a season - 79 by Tim Ferguson of Sioux City Musketeers in 1985–86 season.
- Most PIMs in a season – 316 by Chad Stauffacher of Green Bay Gamblers in 1996–97 season.
[edit] See also [edit] References [edit] External links |
